Building a legacy out of tragedy

LANCASTER – Brandt Seifert said he knew there was something wrong with his daughter Stephanie's former husband even before they were married.

"As a father, you kind of have a sixth sense about other men when it comes to your daughter," Brandt said. "But she never mentioned the abuse to me. I don't know, maybe it was out of fear, out of embarrassment, but the signs were there if I had only seen them. But I didn't, I didn't act on my feelings about the guy, and she's now no longer with us. I'll never forgive myself."

On Oct. 23, 2012, Stephanie, 39, of Lancaster, was shot and killed at her home along the 100 block of Cleveland Avenue by her ex-husband, Kevin J. Adams, 40, of Lancaster, officials said.

Adams also shot and killed decorated off-duty Lancaster Police Department officer Randy Bartow, 56, of Logan, who was at the home, officials said; Adams then shot himself and died from his injuries at Fairfield Medical Center.

Stephanie's mother, Judy Seifert, said that while Adams had been a violent man in the past, it had always been focused on other men.

"Stephanie was never the target of violence, but she was subject to verbal abuse," Judy said. "She was our only child and the first close person in my family that died. I still can't get over it and don't believe it."

Their grief has been focused on getting the word out about domestic violence and talking about it to groups that would listen.

On Oct. 18, the second Stephy's House 5K run will be conducted to support the establishment of a women's and youth crisis center, called Stephy's House, for people who are victims of domestic violence.

"The grand opening is to take place on Oct. 23, 2015, on the third anniversary of her and Randy's death," Judy said.

The idea for a crisis center based on education and as an overflow for other domestic violence shelters in the area stemmed from their work with Lighthouse, the domestic violence shelter in Lancaster.

"We want to be able to reach out into junior high schools, high schools and at Ohio University-Lancaster, to women for education on domestic violence," Judy said. "We will be working with the domestic violence shelters to get the word out about how to recognize and deal with domestic violence."

In the past two years since Stephanie's death, her friends and family have held fundraisers, a golf outing and domestic violence walk at OU-L to keep her memory alive and domestic violence an issue in the public conscience.

"It's something people don't like to talk about within their own families," Brandt said. "But you have to get over that and talk about it. Victims, especially the women, have to reach out to their families and friends. Don't be silent. It's tough but you have to do something about it to break the cycle. And it needs to be broken."

Judy also uses a Facebook page titled "Speak Out Against Domestic Violence 'Silence Kills' — Stephy's story" to spread awareness about domestic violence and to tell her daughter's story.

"If it can happen in my family, it can happen in anyone's. Speak up and have the courage to intervene if you see domestic violence occurring," Judy said.

One in 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. Eighty-five percent of domestic violence victims are women.

Historically, females have been most often victimized by someone they knew and women who are 20 to 24 years of age are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence. Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police.

cburnett@lancastereaglegazette.com

740-681-4346

Twitter: @CarlBurnettJr

Learn more

For more information about the 5K, contact Judy Seifert at 740-385-3635 or judyseifert2013@gmail.com. Online registration is available at www.active.com.